press release

Artist Steven Claydon has selected “objects and things” examining the relationship between the art object and the institutions that display them - a playful and critical approach to presentation.

The exhibition's title is taken from a quote by fictional 1930s detective Charlie Chan and contains a peculiar British Modernism.

It includes sculpture from the start of the 20th-century by Jacob Epstein and Alberto Giacometti and 1940s paintings by Francis Picabia to films by contemporary London-based artists Bonnie Camplin, Mark Lecky and Simon Martin.

Claude Cahun’s photographs from the 1930s are shown alongside ceramics from the 1970s by Hans Coper. Iconic sculptures by Elisabeth Frink and Lynn Chadwick provide a context for other artists working in the 1970s. A new sculpture by the American artist Charles Simonds has been commissioned by Camden Arts Centre.

Film screenings, tours, discussions including the Ranters' Cafe, and live art performances delve deeper into the exhibition and artists' work - see talks and events.